Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Good morning, everybody! It's SPRINGTIME here in Washington, DC and I have to admit that I'm happy to put the grey days of winter behind me. Give me flowers and warm weather and no more wearing stockings for another six months! WOO!

* Yes, that's right... it's IPL time again! Here are the films trying their luck against the lure of cricket: Housefull 2, Jannat 2, Tezz, Department, Dangerous Ishq, Ishaqzaade, and WE MADE THREE IDIOTSFerrari Ki Sawaari.

The opening ceremonies should be fun to watch... BEBO IS PERFORMING along with the usual suspects and Katy Perry (for some reason.) Maybe she'll amuse us with an encore of Niggas in Paris or attempt to sing in Hindi.

"I am rather surprised about these rumours. We have moved the release of the film to November because we didn't want it to clash with Aamir's TV show but some chose to build their own stories. I have heard a lot about 'Kahaani'. Sujoy Ghosh is a good friend and I am sure it would be fantastic. But there is nothing that is similar about the two films."

* Priyanka Chopra would like us to believe that she is no longer being iced out of Bollywood because she is now being rumored for the Zanjeer remake. Replacing Deepika Padukone, who had previously been rumored for the role.

Instead of a bad-ass knife-wielding wild child, the heroine is now, and I quote: [An] NRI cafe owner, who is spunky and bold.

YAWN.

Other reports are saying both Dippy and Piggy are out of the running so who knows what the real story is except that PC's publicity team is attempting to earn their keep.

* Shabana Azmi warning Vidya Balan not to upset the popular heroes by stealing their thunder.

"If she continues to dominate her films, she might very soon face a scarcity of co-stars. Heroes might be apprehensive about being paired with her."

* Cannes might be graced by the presence of one Bipasha Basu this year.

* Prakash Jha is starting his next with Arjun Rampal, Abhay Deol, and Manoj Bajpai. Can I say that I'm glad he doesn't have mega-star power in this one? There are some director who work better with a big ego star riding their ass demanding things and some need to be working with actors, not stars. I'd but Prakash Jha in the latter category.

* Saif is fooling himself if he thinks Agent Vinod is going to do 200 crores worth of business. It may do well - it may do very well - but "very well" for a Saif Ali Khan and "very well" for a THREE KHAN Khan are two different things.

* OMG! I remember this story!! Govinda slapped Santosh Rai back in 2008 and is now getting bail.

* All I took from this article is that there will be NO REKHA in Krrish 3 and I am sad.

* Excel Entertainment announces their line-up and they have SIX FILMS getting ready to start production. Here's the one I'm ready to draw my knife on already:

Besides, this there is also a story idea given by Abhinay Deo of Delhi Belly fame which has got Farhan and Ritesh's approval. Apparently, this film, which is about two buddies, will have two stars in the lead.

Oh, don't you mean Abhinay Deo of the Excel Entertainment produced Game fame? I WILL NEVER FORGET! You guys don't even understand what that movie took from me. It killed something inside... I don't know how to describe it. I've gone to see so many terrible films and walked out disatisfied but willing to give the benefit of the doubt to the next terrible film that came along. NO MORE! After Game, I can't do it. That movie was soul-crushingly bad. I should start a letter writing campaign to Farhan Akhtar or something to kill this project.

* And on a more positive note... Jazz in India! Here is a great book review of Taj Mahal Foxtrot about early jazz musicians in Bombay!

Taj Mahal Foxtrot introduces us to these remarkable characters, people such as Frank Fernandes, Hal and Henry Green, Josic Menzie, Micky Correa, Pamela McCarthy, Rudy Cotton and “the Indian Louis Armstrong”, Chic Chocolate. These musicians often played at five-star hotels, but they were regulars at the second level, at the Ambassador Starlight Roof Gardens, the Bristol Grill, the Dadar Catholic Institute, the Greens Hotel, the Ritz Roof Garden, the West End Hotel Roof Garden and the YMCA. By the late 1930s, these Indian musicians became central players in the bands led by people such as Teddy Weatherford. A decade later, the band was entirely Indian with Fernandes and Chocolate now as the bona fide leaders.

I think the sound is out of sync for this trailer but I would love to see this Nigerian-Indian movie!

J.U.D.E. looks really good!

And a sneak peek of John Abraham's item song for Vicky Donor! Looking good, Johnny Boy!

I know I am a bit anal here, but it seems like a collaboration between Nollywood (!) and some independent producer in India. Can we refer to them as "Bollywood", because that Hindi Film Industry machinery would be missing in the production of it, right? (It seems like it was shot digitally, and basic DIY jibs, and editing).

Okay. I havent commented on the site recently. Just letting u know that I read every single article :P